psalm

[sahm] Example Sentences Origin

psalm

[sahm]
noun
1.
a sacred song or hymn.
2.
(initial capital letter) any of the songs, hymns, or prayers contained in the Book of Psalms.
3.
a metric version or paraphrase of any of these.
4.
a poem of a similar nature.

Origin:
before 900; Middle English psalm(e), s(e)alm(e), psame, Old English ps(e)alm, sealm < Late Latin psalmus < Greek psalmós song sung to the harp, orig., a plucking, as of strings, akin to psállein to pluck, pull, play (the harp)

psalm·ic, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Psalm is always a great word to know.
So is quincunx. Does it mean:
an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.
a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.
Example Sentences
  • We cannot sing a psalm without beginning and continuing it.
  • Reflective and contained, their dances might be the phrases of a psalm or prayer.
  • The control group did not show activity in these parts of their brains when listening to the psalm.
Collins
World English Dictionary
psalm (sɑːm)
 
n
1.  (often capital) any of the 150 sacred songs, lyric poems, and prayers that together constitute a book (Psalms) of the Old Testament
2.  a musical setting of one of these poems
3.  any sacred song or hymn
 
[Old English, from Late Latin psalmus, from Greek psalmos song accompanied on the harp, from psallein to play (the harp)]
 
'psalmic
 
adj

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

psalm
O.E. salm, from L. psalmus, from Gk. psalmos "song sung to a harp," originally "performance on stringed instrument," from psallein "play on a stringed instrument, pull, twitch." Used in Septuagint for Heb. mizmor "song," especially the sort sung by David to the harp.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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